The War's Impact at Home

The War's Impact at Home

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are more than topics of debate among presidential candidates. With almost 4,000 American casualties in Iraq, undoubtedly many of us have experienced personal loss or know someone who has. Yet, for those of us who have not personally felt the tragedy of war, it's hard to understand just how people are affected when our country is at war.

Unlike Vietnam, young men are not compelled by the draft to fight. Unlike World War II, our national economy has not been asked to direct all resources and energy toward the war effort. For those of us not asked to make a personal sacrifice, it is all too easy to change the channel when news of car bombings, downed helicopters or countless civilian deaths come across our television screen.

Please share your stories. How have the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan impacted your daily life?

Those effin magnetic stickers get stolen off everyone's car because cops in NY will dock your ticket fee if you have one on your car when you're pulled over. I personally hate those stickers - it's a sad thing in America when we have to flaunt stickers and flags JUST so people know we support our troops.
I support the troops and this war is killing America and spreading racism and classism to levels not seen in this country since lynching was in vogue. I don't need a sticker to share that.

Those effin magnetic stickers get stolen off everyone's car because cops in NY will dock your ticket fee if you have one on your car when you're pulled over. I personally hate those stickers - it's a sad thing in America when we have to flaunt stickers and flags JUST so people know we support our troops. I support the troops and this war is killing America and spreading racism and classism to levels not seen in this country since lynching was in vogue. I don't need a sticker to share that.

Piper, I agree with the yellow stickers thing. You just don't see them too much any more and it's sad. I don't believe we're going anywhere with this war but I sure as sugar support the troops- my husband in the Marines and all.

I miss all the yellow stickers on cars. The last time my husband went to Iraq, you saw support stickers everywhere. This time around, I barely see them at all. I wish people would understand that supporting the troops does not have to mean that you support the war. Show the troops some love. It's ok to do that.

A friend of mine that I grew up with died in Iraq recently. He was the homecoming king in high school and went to West Point. When the newspaper reported it, they were extremely graphic - saying that he suffered extreme burns all over his body and had three heart attacks before he finally died. I'm still stunned. I have coworkers that just break down crying almost every time they talk about their brother or their son over there. I feel for them, but I'm so grateful that I don't have to know first hand what it's like to feel that anxiety and worry everyday.
War is terrible on so many levels.

I was just at the Naval Academy this weekend, and the boys were talking about going the Marine route rather than the Navy route because they want to get in to Iraq to protect their loved ones here and ultimately build rather than destroy. Though they're still students and were drinking at the time, they know what they're doing. I think a lot of the time we forget to be grateful that there isn't a draft. The brave men and women who train and fight for us might hope to God they don't die, but know the risks and sincerely love what they're defending.

My question is when are we going to stop? So many people are dying and I still can’t understand why we are there in the first place? The first reason Bush gave was that they were nuclear weapons have they find any? Is just sad to see people dying and not knowing the reason why are they dying.

My dad was a war correspondant a long time ago. Some of the journalists that work for him are in Iraq, Afghanistan, Liban or Palestine. He has explained to me what a war is, how it works, how horrible and extremely sad it is. I feel for those fighting in Irak, and also for all the Iraqi people who die there everyday.
I agree with you nyaradzom2001, the view of Islam in America and also in Europe is highly distorted. It is not a violent religion, it is all a matter of how certain issues are interpreted.

My husband is currently in Iraq, he's a Marine and this is his second tour in two years. No only is it emotionally stressful for him to be in Iraq, it's killing me to be without him. Thankfully we don't have any children, because I know people who have kids and it's really harder on the kids than people think when their parents leave for long periods of time. People I know have died over there and it's really sad to watch the news and have my husband say he trained with that guy or something similar.

My husband is currently in Iraq, he's a Marine and this is his second tour in two years. No only is it emotionally stressful for him to be in Iraq, it's killing me to be without him. Thankfully we don't have any children, because I know people who have kids and it's really harder on the kids than people think when their parents leave for long periods of time.
People I know have died over there and it's really sad to watch the news and have my husband say he trained with that guy or something similar.

I can't even begin to imagine living in war torn nation or having family go off to fight. My uncle fought in our civil war and he was totally messed up by it and my mom talks of the night they had to watch someone who had been an informant to the army get killed by the guerillas to teach them a lesson and I don't ever want to go through that. My heart goes out to those who aare fighting and those whose loved ones are away.

It's made being an Arab or a Muslim (or someone who resembles an Arab or Muslim) hell. It's made the view of Islam by most Americans a flawed perception of some so-called violent religion, and allowed the incorrect definition of the word 'jihad' to fill the media airwaves. For me, personally, it has made the cause for peace an impossible dream - I come from a country where my family participated in the fight to get rid of our colonial occupiers, where war was a reality to live under. Now, Americans who have no conception of what our troops are going through (and continue to go through upon their return) suddenly feel they have every right to consider THEIR opinion of the war THE opinion of the war.
And just for the record:
Jihad = Struggle. Used in context, the Qur'an cites "internal struggle - to keep your faith amid a chaotic world". A Muslim friend of mine once told me, "My jihad is my head scarf - everyday it is a struggle for me to display my faith and be modest in a country that judges me for it".
The Qur'an makes mention to violence, yes. However, when it comes to non-Muslims, other Abrahamic religions, or what we call 'infidels', the prophet Muhammad stated, "To harm a non-Muslim is to harm me. To harm a non-Muslim is a thousand sins that can never be forgiven." and "People of the Book are our brothers and sisters".
Just to make clear, other faiths make mention to violence, also. The Old Testament features Leviticus, which states your neighbor should be stoned if he works on the Sabbath. But the concept of Jesus was that a New Testament was brought, and the old should be discarded - hence that archaic form of punishment. Interestingly, it is ONLY in the Old Testament that homosexuality is forbidden... cool, right?
The Talmud speaks of, "the best of the non-Jews should be killed" - but that's not something you'll hear at temple (if you're going to the right place, that is).
All religions have archaic influences, and it's up to the followers to make their decision. Some people make the wrong decision. But by far the worst part about this war for me is the fact that religious intolerance is at a level I never thought I'd see in my lifetime, and am greatly saddened to have to experience.

It's made being an Arab or a Muslim (or someone who resembles an Arab or Muslim) hell. It's made the view of Islam by most Americans a flawed perception of some so-called violent religion, and allowed the incorrect definition of the word 'jihad' to fill the media airwaves. For me, personally, it has made the cause for peace an impossible dream - I come from a country where my family participated in the fight to get rid of our colonial occupiers, where war was a reality to live under. Now, Americans who have no conception of what our troops are going through (and continue to go through upon their return) suddenly feel they have every right to consider THEIR opinion of the war THE opinion of the war. And just for the record:Jihad = Struggle. Used in context, the Qur'an cites "internal struggle - to keep your faith amid a chaotic world". A Muslim friend of mine once told me, "My jihad is my head scarf - everyday it is a struggle for me to display my faith and be modest in a country that judges me for it". The Qur'an makes mention to violence, yes. However, when it comes to non-Muslims, other Abrahamic religions, or what we call 'infidels', the prophet Muhammad stated, "To harm a non-Muslim is to harm me. To harm a non-Muslim is a thousand sins that can never be forgiven." and "People of the Book are our brothers and sisters".Just to make clear, other faiths make mention to violence, also. The Old Testament features Leviticus, which states your neighbor should be stoned if he works on the Sabbath. But the concept of Jesus was that a New Testament was brought, and the old should be discarded - hence that archaic form of punishment. Interestingly, it is ONLY in the Old Testament that homosexuality is forbidden... cool, right?The Talmud speaks of, "the best of the non-Jews should be killed" - but that's not something you'll hear at temple (if you're going to the right place, that is). All religions have archaic influences, and it's up to the followers to make their decision. Some people make the wrong decision. But by far the worst part about this war for me is the fact that religious intolerance is at a level I never thought I'd see in my lifetime, and am greatly saddened to have to experience.

Yeah I agree with Frimpled. (BTW, I'm so sorry for your bf's friend)My boyfriend is in the army and he has been to Iraq twice already. I ALWAYS HATE when he has to leave again because I'm sooo afraid that he might NEVER come back. :(

Yeah I agree with Frimpled. (BTW, I'm so sorry for your bf's friend)
My boyfriend is in the army and he has been to Iraq twice already. I ALWAYS HATE when he has to leave again because I'm sooo afraid that he might NEVER come back. :(

My boyfriend is a Marine and he had to have shoulder surgery (he injured it training before going to Afghanistan) about a year ago. He was scheduled to fly out to Iraq a few months before his surgery, so instead, another Marine had to go in his place. He was a friend of my boyfriend's. The day of my boyfriend's surgery ended up being the day of his friend's funeral. Not only did his friend die in his place, but my boyfriend couldn't go to his funeral and pay his respects. I have lots of friends in the service (including my boyfriend) and it's really hard to watch them leave and go to fight for something they don't necessarily believe in.